MADRID, Spain (Reuters) -- The world's first ban on overly thin models at a top-level fashion show in Madrid has caused outrage among modeling agencies and raised the prospect of restrictions at other venues.

Madrid's fashion week has turned away underweight models after protests that girls and young women were trying to copy their rail-thin looks and developing eating disorders.

Organizers say they want to project an image of beauty and health, rather than a waif-like, or heroin chic look.

But Cathy Gould, of New York's Elite modeling agency, said the fashion industry was being used as a scapegoat for illnesses like anorexia and bulimia.

"I think its outrageous, I understand they want to set this tone of healthy beautiful women, but what about discrimination against the model and what about the freedom of the designer," said Gould, Elite's North America director, adding that the move could harm careers of naturally "gazelle-like" models.

Madrid's regional government, which sponsors the show and imposed restrictions, said it did not blame designers and models for anorexia. It said the fashion industry had a responsibility to portray healthy body images.

"Fashion is a mirror and many teenagers imitate what they see on the catwalk," said regional official Concha Guerra.

The mayor of Milan, Italy, Letizia Moratti, told an Italian newspaper this week she would seek a similar ban for her city's show unless it could find a solution to "sick" looking models.

Quality, not size
The Madrid show is using the body mass index or BMI -- based on weight and height -- to measure models. It has turned away 30 percent of women who took part in the previous event. Medics will be on hand at the September 18-22 show to check models.

"The restrictions could be quite a shock to the fashion world at the beginning, but I'm sure it's important as far as health is concerned," said Leonor Perez Pita, director of Madrid's show, also known as the Pasarela Cibeles.

A spokeswoman for the Association of Fashion Designers of Spain, which represents those at Madrid fashion week, said the group supported restrictions and its concern was the quality of collections, not the size of models.

Eating disorder activists said many Spanish model agencies and designers oppose the ban and they had doubts whether the new rules would be followed.

"If they don't go along with it the next step is to seek legislation, just like with tobacco," said Carmen Gonzalez of Spain's Association in Defense of Attention for Anorexia and Bulimia, which has campaigned for restrictions since the 1990s.

Now, I've heard many guys say that they think models are too skinny and that they prefer women with less bones poking them. And we all have seen the results of a media that idolizes the underweight. But do any of you think this will have an actual impact? Could it revolutionize the way media presents women? Or will it just be a minor blip on the screen?_________________A person's character is their destiny.

The mayor of Milan, Italy, Letizia Moratti, told an Italian newspaper this week she would seek a similar ban for her city's show unless it could find a solution to "sick" looking models.

I got a solution - you're in Italy, have a plate of pasta ferchristsake! Choke down a cannolli! The reason Naomi Campbell is such a mean-spirited broad is because she's hungry all the time. She wouldn't be such a demonic diva if she'd down a Ding-Dong once in a while. _________________The two most abuntant elements in the universe are hydrogen and stupidity - Harlan Ellison

while i do feel for those "naturally gazelle-like" women whose careers may be negetively affected by these new restrictions, i've got to assume that not all 30% of would-be models are naturally that thin, and it's about damn time the damn fashion industry got some damn sense. damn!

all seriousness aside (kinda), maybe if models are a healthy size people will start designing clothes that look good on more than just the tiniest portion of the population and summer will be far less scary.

The mayor of Milan, Italy, Letizia Moratti, told an Italian newspaper this week she would seek a similar ban for her city's show unless it could find a solution to "sick" looking models.

I got a solution - you're in Italy, have a plate of pasta ferchristsake! Choke down a cannolli! The reason Naomi Campbell is such a mean-spirited broad is because she's hungry all the time. She wouldn't be such a demonic diva if she'd down a Ding-Dong once in a while.

sadly, i bet the models will start sporting lead-lined panties for the italian weigh-ins

sadly, i bet the models will start sporting lead-lined panties for the italian weigh-ins

and the emaciated dance will go on.

I'm pretty sure the Milan people will do something more devious than a weigh in - make 'em get into a bikini and if you can see bone structures like ribs, they're off the runway.

The fashion industry has evil effects on almost every woman. I'm down to 175 pounds, from 342 pounds in March of 2004. However, thanks to the fact that virtually all women's garments are modeled by women that appear to have a waistline about the size of my thigh, I can't bring myself to buy women's clothing because I fear what I will look like in the clothes - so I shop in the menswear department._________________The two most abuntant elements in the universe are hydrogen and stupidity - Harlan Ellison

I actually like the idea. However, I don't see it having any real impact. So many cities and countries shows can be held in, and the most visible arena is the various media outlets, like television and magazines, and I can't see this having any effect at all unless, say, France and the US pass nationwide legislation on the issue, which I can't see ever happening.

I think it's amazing it took this long. I think I speak for a vast majority of the population (male and female) when I say the beauty ideal projected on the runway is light years away from real beauty. It doesn't make ascetic or financial sense to continue this trend. Being too skinny to menstruate is your body's way of telling you to eat already!_________________"And then the sea was closed again, above us."

dude, she doesn't even have breasts. she can't even hold up that wispy piece of cloth.

Xilonen wrote:

maybe if models are a healthy size people will start designing clothes that look good on more than just the tiniest portion of the population and summer will be far less scary.

gotta go along with this. what's wrong with clothes that normal people can wear?

(and congratulations, ct! _forget_ what the fashion industry says - go shopping, girl! look at how _you_ look, especially compared to where you were. i bet you'll look great! personally, i will be _ecstatic_ when i get to 175.)_________________aka: neverscared!
a flux of vibrant matter

Joined: 09 Jul 2006Posts: 9718Location: I have to be somewhere? ::runs around frantically::

Posted: Thu Sep 14, 2006 3:11 pm Post subject:

Yes, the caliper test is good.

Why?
At my favorite weight (no not size, the weight I feel best at because I have been doing regular light exercise) puts me at BMI: 18.6. 18.5 is considered underweight. Models should be healthy but not discriminated against if they take good care of themselves. (Kinda like how pro athletes come out as obese by BMI standards.)

Not that I think that is an issue right now but it might be if this sticks (oh I hope it does!).

I also hope those models can recover. I have had my hips look like that and it took me a good year before my breasts felts normal and I wasn't like that for more than a month.

Yay for CT!!!_________________Before God created Las he pondered on all the aspects a woman might have, he considered which ones would look good super-inflated and which ones to leave alone.
After much deliberation he gave her a giant comfort zone. - Michael